Kai's POV
After makin' sure that my crew got their weapons, rations, so their asses don't starve, plenty of Ammo for rifles, pistol, revolvers and carrying Grenades. We are heading to the town of Maroud which it would be an 3- day journey on foot-
"Excuse me, my good chum!" Ronald speaks to me to get my attention. "I wanted to say…" He takes a deep breath to think about what he'll say.
"Yo man! Say what you gotta say." I made it clear he can talk to me.
"I have a map of the wastelands, so we don't get lost." He shows me the map and… he is through with it, and he made figures of us. "So we can keep a sense of direction."
"Alright, man! But haven't you show this to the others?" I asked him because our team needs to know where they are going.
"I told Sirena but Todd… He is still not talking to me no matter what I say." Ronald shakes his head. He still blames himself for making our leader hard to reason.
"Man, I get you are trying to help us." Ronald shakes his head at me.
"I am more worried that his stubbornness will get us killed. And I… will need your help to talk some sense into him before we go." He is double-checking to make sure he got everything he needs and puts the backpack on his shoulders.
"Man, you can do it yourself. Because I gotta get ready to go!" I walked away to get everything that I'm going to need for our trip.
In my Backpack, I've got:
5 Pack of explosives
3 days' worth of rations
Lockpicks.
3 Water battles
A med kit
2 Bottles of Kuailax in case we are fighting magical freaks.
An 3 sets of Knives
A garrote
A Pistol with 5 clips on hand.
Okay, I'm good, let's bounce!
Droppin' Knowledge
"Yo folks, I need to tell ya about the danger in the wastelands and know what to survive on." I spoke up as we left the city gate.
"We know we are gonna be fighting raiders and facing the dangers of the wastelands." Todd tells me he knows when he doesn't know.
"Todd, man. That is basic stuff, I'm trying to tell your ass man that-" Todd walks up to my face.
"Who is the leader?" He asked me.
"Yo man! I'm just-"
"Who is the leader here?" He ignoring what I'm trying to say to him.
"What the fuck is your problem, Todd?!" I shouted at him.
"My problem is that I expect you to fall in line, not tell me what I need to hear." Oh! It's like that, huh?
"Todd, Sir! He is just trying to help you yet you are ordering him around like he is your servant!" Ronald speaks up for me. "You are the leader! Please, just listen to us for-"
"I DON'T have you listen to you, eggsy. You follow orders or you take yourself back to the city." Todd is imposing his authority. "We go that way to Maroud. Whatever you like it or not!"
"Sir! Maroud is this way." Ronald points in that direction. "That direction will take you to the Boyren region."
"Are you questioning my orders, Eggsy?" Todd challenges him, but I had enough this.
"Hey man, Ronald is right! Maroud is that way. You're going to raider terrority and that will get your ass killed. Why in the fuck we head that way?" I stood in Todd's way.
"To take a shortcut to Maroud known as the Open Gulf." He explained.
"Why do you want to head there, Todd? Surely, you can-" Todd turns toward the direction opposite of Maroud.
"Sirena, are you coming along or not?!" He shouted at her.
"I'm not… I am not going with you, Sir!" Sirena speaks up. "Maroud is that way! Are trying to get yourself killed, Todd? Nothing good comes out on heading that way! I think we should stay together."
"I'm going…" Todd runs off
"Yo man! YOU ARE GOING THE WRONG WAY! COME BACK!" I yelled after him to get him to change his mind.
Heading in the wrong direction.
We tried to talk him out of the area of continuing to go in that direction. Still, he is being like a stubborn bull for an entire day. Not even Sirena can sway out of the idea. Look, man, I can get you don't like certain people after first meeting them, especially when someone acts like he is the smartest man in the room.
But this has gone too far, man. Me and Ronald have been doing some collaborating and we both agree toward the edge on the Boyren and Belauto Regions that we will face tough raiders. Even our equipment isn't gonna help us against them since they are too dangerous to fight directly.
This whole day, however, we went with Todd as Sirena doesn't want to leave him to fend for himself. I've decided that we need to persuade his ass one more time since I don't wanna know if we continue to go for another day.
"Todd, man! We need to talk!" I stood in his way.
"We have been over this, Kai. I don't want to keep repeating myself." I blocked him from going anywhere, man I'm tired of this.
"I was talking with the others, been talking to you for a day now." I get closer to his face. "We have told you… you are going in the wrong direction because I know the Skull Horses are around in this area. Me, Ronald, Sirena has been cool with you being in charge, but this ain't right. You ain't thinking straight, you ignore what we got to say, and I kept my mouth shut for a long time hoping you change directions before we get to that point But that ain't happening!" I protested his decision to continue on.
"You will obey my orders- "
"AND THEN WHAT, SIR? SO WE CAN GET OUR ASSES KILLED? SO YOU CAN GO AND PLAY LEADER? BUT I KNOW THAT YOU DOING THIS JUST TO GET BACK AT RONALD BECAUSE YOU ARE JEALOUS THAT HE CAN FORM PLANS AND THINK BETTER THAN YOU!" Todd's face turns red at me, he clenches his teeth.
"I ain't… Jealous of him, Kai!" He strains himself.
"Then why aren't you hearing him out?" I raised my arms in frustration. "It seems to me you hate it you think he is smarter than you."
"Look, Kai! I know what I'm doing and I don't need my Sergeant in arms lecturing me. I need solider that will obey orders-"
"We are a team, Sir! And my good chum, I will be a team player. And what I know can save your life, Sir!" Ronald interjects into the conversation.
"Oh, so you're Team Leader now?" Todd glares at Ronald for his insubordination.
"You're Team leader! Not me, but I don't have to follow you because for one!" Ronald points with his fingers. "You give no one a reason to follow you and you bark out orders."
"Office Tonbente…"
"Two, you don't heed consul until it's too late. If it wasn't for the mysterious woman who saved you in the nick of time, you would have died by now!"
"You are out of line, Ronald!" He raised his gun in the air to silent anymore dissent from us. "I will say this, one more time. Fall. In. Line!" He pointed the gun to Ronald. "Is that clear?"
"Three, If I was team leader, which I'm not. Wouldn't you have done everything in your power to stop from going in the wrong direction?" Ronald stares at the Revolver, he is expecting Todd to shoot him.
"I wanted to be team leader because whatever I wanted to help or share my advice, they would ignore, ridiculed, or worse, being called 'Egghead'. Promised myself that since we are in this together. I am wiling to work as a Unit, but the question is are you willing to do the same… Sir?"
I saw it surprised Todd that Ronald would risk his life to talk some sense; I turned to see… A fleet of vehicles heading toward us. As I expect, it is the Skull Horses gang coming this way.
"We need to get moving!" I shouted after the team.
"You heard him! Move Move!" Todd shouted the command for us to hide.
Out of sight
We hid on the side of the large rock, hoping to wait until the skulls pass us. Only to see a group of Carvan coming up this way, they ain't knowing that the skulls are coming.
As soon as the Skulls saw them, they surround them. They were 12 people in that caravan to defend themselves against the raiders.
Despite their efforts, the Skulls were upon like they were a pack of wolves, hungry for their next meal. The men were killed, mutilated, or even if they surrendered, they would put on a skull mask and watch them bleed to death.
"We need to do something about this!" Todd grabs his guns, but I quickly restrained him. "KAI! What are you doing?!" he whispered to me.
"Yo man, we can't do anything about it, wait until they leave." I urged him not to throw his life away. "If you go gun blazing, you are only going your ass killed!"
"He is right, Todd! There is nothing we do. Please Listen!" Ronald pleads with him but Todd is insistent on helping them.
We soon heard the screams of the women in the caravan in that direction. The Skulls, however, violate the women, and they don't care how old they are. When Todd witnessed it, he tried to come their aid, but I have to put my hand on his mouth and strain myself from letting him going there to get killed.
We could do nothing but watch…. We had no choice… it was that or go against them where we can get killed or worse, I ain't gonna remind you what happens we did.
After a while, I keep watch of the whole thing that transpired with the team traumatized by the whole thing. Like fucking vultures, they took everything they wanted: Food, guns & slaves, leaving only dead corpses.
Todd must have realized that he should have listened long ago; Sirena didn't say another word for the day, she just saw things that horrified her. Ronald was quiet too, he didn't think he'll be witness to it.
The Right Direction
After 2 days, me and Ronald had to make sure that we rationed our food and water so we don't starve or die of thirst. I also took the time to make sure that my girl is alright -
"Hey babydoll!" I wanted to see how she is coping.
"Oh, hey Kai." She looks dejected.
"Hey, if it is because of me -" She suddenly looks at me.
"It's not you, Kai! And don't mind the nickname, 'babydoll'." She slightly smiles at me. "It's the fact that we couldn't have helped those folks. We could have done something about it!"
I said nothing, but I wanted to let her know that I'm listening to her.
"Being silent on me, eh, Flyboy?" now she is playing with me.
"What do y'all want me to do? Start preaching to you to stay out of people's business? Or take the cozy way out?"
"You could have tried though." she tilts her head at me.
"Gonna be straight with you" I turned to look at her. "What would you do if you wanted to save those folks?"
"Everything I can!" she is now being serious. "If I had magic at my fingertips. I would blast them to oblivion."
Ugh… Magic! It just they get powers to do whatever they fucking want, getting high on that shit. Then next thing, they use it for nefarious ends and then people start dying left and right.
"Why in the fuck do you even want magic?" I asked her why she would want that kind of that life.
"What is your problem, Kai? It's like you despise magic users for the crime of existing." man, I upset her.
"You aren't a magic user, I just don't want you to have that life! You know they would hunt your ass if you do." I warned her against having that kind of life.
"Right…" she pinched her nose. "You would kill me if I were to tell you and that I'm a magic user hiding in plain sight, right?"
I walked closer to her, I can't believe she is talking nonsense with me.
"You ain't a magic user! And you got no magic juice flowing with you. I meant I know you wanna do the right thing but quit beating yourself over it." I sternly tell her to get over it. "You are you. I know you would have our backs with or without FUCKING magic!" I shouted louder.
"Wow… That is a vote of confidence!" surprised that I would clarify that I don't believe she has magic powers.
"Damn straight!" I walked ahead of the others.
My Night Shift
"Kai!" I turned around and saw Todd. "You got a few moments?" I shook my head. "Sorry about how I acted a couple of days back. I've acted like an asshole back then."
"You sure you're gonna listen this time?"
"I know you're not going to just forgive me like that." it perplexes him at my response.
"Dude, man! You know I had to restrain your ass from being killed. You were just barking orders ain't helping others. We are lucky to be alive, but y'all need to get your head on straight! Because I ain't gonna be telling your ass again in the future." I told him I don't like his tendency not thinking it through and nearly got us killed.
"You're going to live that down, huh?" Todd yawns. "Well, I had wanted to apologize to you before I head to bed. You got it covered?"
"Yeah." I nonchalantly said to him. "See you on your next shift!"
"Alright, good night, Sergeant."
I volunteered for my shift because the team been through enough shit for 2 days. Taking some Kuailax so some raider won't be able to use his mojo on me. I've also kept my knife at all times, I may need to swipe some fools if I come down to it.
It's been quiet, Ronald insisted I carry a rifle but I prefer my sharp knife. At least it doesn't make noise like their guns. I heard a step…
I looked around me but saw no one there… Okay; I got ya.
I pretended to not notice that someone was there when that dude sneak up behind me. I've quickly sliced the dude's throat, which the fool revealed himself. Fuck, I hate magic…
"So! The little rat has sniffed me out…" someone said out of nowhere. "You realize you got the wrong guy?"
"Yo! Where are you?!" I yelled in the air, but I can't move.
Someone grabbed me by the wrist, causing me to drop my knife. Now I got a blade at my throat.
"Not so tough now, you little punk!" The man speaks behind me, I can smell booze from his mouth.
Tried as I might, the man made sure that I wouldn't be able to move around or starting slicing him up. How did he…?
"Don't bother, I've already used neurotoxin on ya while you ain't looking. I am going to enjoy cutting you into ribbons." I can't-
Saved!
The next thing I knew, it was pitch black… as if he finished the job. Then I saw a woman's face…
"H… ow!" The woman is trying to say something. "Hey…. up!" the image is getting clear. It was a woman that wore a black cloak and had ginger hair. "Hey!"
I moved back from her and got my knife from the ground.
"What? You playing good/bad cop with me, huh?!" I got into my fighting stance with a bladed knife. "I'll cut your magical ass up!"
As I charge at her with my Knife, I was counting her to use her magic to save herself. But she moved to the side and grab my arm, twisting it out.
"Look here, you punk! If I was here to kill you, I would have left you in a coma instead of using my magic to save your ungrateful butt." She what-?
"You used magic on me, Bitch!" she twisted my arm further.
"First off, this 'bitch' has saved you. Two, the Skull Horses Gang followed you here, which I made sure they go elsewhere. Three, their intention was to kill all of you and you were fortunate that I saw you as that man stabbed you with his knife with Neurotoxin, you would have died otherwise."
"What? You expect me to believe you?!" I continue to struggle free, but she is not loosing her grip. "Let me go, you magical freak!"
The woman mumbles something under her breath, but I'm getting the feeling that I'm frustrating her.
"You know I can read your mind, Young man!" The woman spoke as if she can read my thoughts. "You know what… Check on your teammates." she loosens her grip on me.
"What?" I looked up, and she vanished.
I went to the camp to check on my teammates, hoping they are all right… They are, but they are awake. I saw Sirena speaking to them-
"I was caught off guard and - Kai!" she turned to see me. "Are you all right?!"
"Yeah, that fucker stab his knife into me. That woman saved my life." I spoke about the woman who almost tore off my arm.
"You mean that woman with a dark cloak?" Sirena stated.
"It was the same woman who saved my life back at home." Todd chimes into the conversation "Then she gave me a lecture about how my team almost got killed. And then yelled at me!"
I laughed when he stated the woman gave him in a lecture. Man, I may hate magic and those that use it, but I got a feeling she was watching over us. I learned she left us a food basket with water and various foods, enough to last us for the entire trip.
"Also, Ladies & Gentlemen! Even though she has rescued us, she also warned that she won't do it again in the future. She made sure that the Skull Horse gang would not hunt us down in the future." He looked at me with a smile. "Who would have thought that we had a guardian angel watching over us."
"I'll take over, guys! You guys get some sleep." Sirena volunteers to take my shift and simply nodded my head.